Besides Anne Rice’s books, what are some good mysteries, thrillers, or historical novels set in The Big Easy? I’d love to read more books featuring the unique history and culture of the city.
I’ve heard good things about Julie Smith’s Skip Langdon series. Should I start with any particular one?
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A Confederacy of Dunces is the essential New Orleans novel. It wasn’t written to be a historic setting, but it takes place when it was written (early 1960s) and captures that time as well as the Quarter and the non-Quarter feel of the city.
Barbara Hambly has a whole series of historical mysteries set in New Orleans, 1830-ish? The first one is called A Free Man of Color. Most are set within the community of free people of color (hence the name and all) and I find them fascinating.
I second A Confederacy of Dunces. It’s absolutely one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. And since I don’t know you from Adam, I’m sure you’ll like it.
I have two recommendations: Green Eyes (by Lucius Shepard) and Fevre Dream (by George R.R. Martin). In each of these books, only part of the story is set in New Orleans, but the Louisiana flavor is strong throughout. Both would probably be categorized as fantasy/horror books, but they are ever so much more. No hack writing here. These beat the hell outta Anne Rice, in my opinion.
Okay, don’t shoot me.
I’m going to recommend Alexandra Ripley. Ducks behind the sofa to avoid Sampiro’s withering glare. Yes, she of Scarlett infamy. She’s written other books set in the South, including one called New Orleans Legacy.
Poppy Z. Brite (the other Anne Rice) has written lots of stuff set in NOLA, her home town.
The late George MacDonald Fraser’s Flashman series has two books partially set in 1849 New Orleans, Flash For Freedom! and Flashman And The Redskins: both offer a mesmerising, indelible portait of a vibrant, decadent, brutal and cruel New Orleans at the height of slavery.
Well, then I will recommend Rhett Butler’s People. But not very highly.
Part of Tom Robbins’ “Jitterbug Perfume” is set in New Orleans.
Try the novels by James Lee Burke, particularly his “David Robicheaux” books. The character is fairly dark, as he is a cop with a past, working in one of the seediest cities in America. Jolie Blon’s Bounce was very good, with menacing characters, murder, music, etc.
A Confederacy of Dunces. Not only is it hilarious, it reflects real New Orleans culture much more than books relying on voodoo and Creole stereotypes. Plus, it’s one of the best places to “hear” yats outside the actual city.
I know he’s pretty loathed around here, but John Grisham wrote a nice little book called The Pelican Brief that’s good for half a night of light reading.
Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein novels are set in New Orleans. I don’t know if the third one will ever get written now, because of Katrina.
In that series, James Lee Burke came up with one of my all-time favorite book titles: In The Electric Mist With The Confederate Dead.
Mystery writer John Dickson Carr set some of his later novels in New Orleans.
Deadly Hall is set in 1927 and Papa La Bas is set in 1858.
Another vote for Martin’s Fevre Dream. The New Orleans passages are quite memorable and evocative.
One of my favorite quotes: “He…was convinced that inside every reformer there was a glandular, lascivious, and sweaty creature aching for release.”
Make sure to read them in order because Robicheaux’s life develops along the way from book to book. The first in the series Neon Rain has Dave working in New Orleans. In later books he is upstate but often has to visit the Big Easy. The books are tremendously evocative of life down there and he is one of my alltime favourites.
I started with *In The Electric Mist With Confederate Dead * (what a title eh) but then spent about a year finding all the previous DR books in order. Glad I did.
edit - Repetitive me in the end - edit